Mary Olivier: A Life · Book IV · Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27 16

When it was all settled and she thought that Dan had gone into Reyburn a fortnight ago to give notice to the landlord’s solicitors, one evening, as she was coming home from the Aldersons’ he told her that he hadn’t been to the solicitors at all.

He had arranged yesterday for his transport on a cattle ship sailing next week for Montreal.

He said he had always meant to go out to Jem Alderson when he had learnt enough from Ned.

“Then why,” she said, “did you let Mamma tell poor Victor⁠—”

“I wanted her to have the credit of the sacrifice,” he said.

And then: “I don’t like leaving you here⁠—”

An awful thought came to her.

“Are you sure you aren’t going because of me?”

“You? What on earth are you thinking of?”

“That time⁠—when you wouldn’t ask Lindley Vickers to stop on.”

“Oh⁠ ⁠… I didn’t ask him because I knew he wanted to stop altogether. And I don’t approve of him.”

She turned and stared at him. “Then it wasn’t that you didn’t approve of me?”

“What put that in your head?”

“Mamma. She told me you couldn’t ask anybody again because of me. She said I’d frightened Lindley Vickers away. Like Aunt Charlotte.”

Dan smiled, a sombre, reminiscent smile.

“You don’t mean to say you still take Mamma seriously? I never did.”

“But⁠—Mark⁠—”

“Or him either.”

It hurt her like some abominable blasphemy.